Forza Horizon 6 has finally arrived, set against the backdrop of Japan. Players can traverse a highly detailed and elegantly condensed version of the entire country. From the bustling streets of Tokyo to famous landmarks and countryside roads that capture the beauty of the four seasons, players will enjoy a variety of landscapes while competing against other racers.
The game rewards players with experience points for destroying objects in the environment while driving. However, according to a recent interview with Design Director Torben Ellert by The Japan Times, while most objects in this title can be destroyed—whether intentionally or by accident—cultural symbols such as shrines, temples, and cherry blossom trees have been designed to be indestructible.
“To provide fun and rewards for exploring the world map, almost every tree in the game can be crashed into and destroyed,” Ellert explained. “However, some trees, including cherry blossom trees, cannot be destroyed because they are key symbols of Japanese culture. The same applies to certain temples and other cultural elements. This is to ensure that players are not encouraged to recklessly damage shrines or important cultural heritage sites.”
In reality, cherry blossoms hold deep historical and cultural significance in Japan, frequently appearing as important symbols in literature, art, and poetry. The pink petals signify the arrival of spring and rebirth, while also symbolizing the transience of life. Ancient farmers would offer sacrifices and hold banquets under cherry trees, praying to the gods of the fields for a bountiful harvest. In the 800s, the Emperor and aristocrats began the tradition of holding banquets to admire the blossoms. This custom evolved into the modern-day culture of hanami, where people enjoy picnics and view the flowers under the trees.
Real-life cherry trees are easily damaged. In Japan, breaking or shaking branches of cherry trees in parks can result in fines. Furthermore, some trees are over 1,000 years old and are protected by the government as natural monuments. The decision by the UK-based developer Playground Games to make cherry trees indestructible in this new title is rooted in a deep respect for this cultural importance.
Shrines and temples follow the same logic. Last year, Assassin's Creed Shadows faced significant backlash in Japan after pre-release footage showed players destroying shrines. In response, Ubisoft issued a day-one patch to make shrine-related objects indestructible and ensured that unarmed NPCs would not bleed when attacked, preventing bloodshed in sacred spaces. Similarly, the Forza Horizon 6 development team decided to take a very cautious approach regarding player actions in religious and cultural locations.
In an interview with The Guardian, Ellert revealed, "Japan has always been on our list of potential locations, but we felt we weren't ready to perfectly realize this vast world until now." The development team conducted in-depth research down to the smallest details in the game. To this end, they hired various experts, including cultural consultant and former Porsche ambassador Kyoko Yamashita, to provide advice on depicting Japanese culture and the racing environment. Ellert added, "Because Japan is a country we often encounter through media, it's easy to mistakenly believe you know Japanese culture very well. That's why we put a lot of effort into ensuring that experts could firmly correct us whenever our research headed in the wrong direction."
Players who pre-ordered the 'Premium Edition' are already tearing up the roads. The official release of Forza Horizon 6 is May 19, and it will be available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. While waiting for the official launch, be sure to check out IGN's Forza Horizon 6 review.
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